Belize trip opens eyes of UAFS nursing students

story and photo submitted by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith

More than 1,100 residents of Belize in Central America have had some of their medical needs met with the assistance of a group of nursing students from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

The 14 nursing students and three UAFS faculty members provided nursing and health education and distributed adult and children’s vitamins, parasite medication and antibiotics during the trip. The Belize venture was for a class titled Global Perspective in Health Care.

Junior Angela Mounce of Springdale said the trip gave her a possible new career direction.

“I have never previously thought of being a nurse in a foreign country until I went to Belize,” said Mounce. “There is so much need for well-trained medical professionals in so many countries.”

She said the people were so appreciative of what the UAFS team could provide.

“It is so different from home because we really take for granted how easily we access healthcare and medicine,” she said. “It was really great to see so many people show up at our clinics to be screened for hypertension and diabetes. In a week, we were able to touch so many lives and make a huge impact. From this experience, I will definitely be spending more time in underdeveloped countries, providing healthcare.”

Juniors Jacob Malone of Fort Smith and Kathy Tull of Waldron agreed with Mounce on the impact of the Belize trip on them and their fellow classmates.

“I did experience more than I had even anticipated,” said Malone. “My nursing career has had such an impact from this trip. I know I will be able to help people in an even better way.”

Tull added, “I am not the same woman I was a week ago. This trip touched me in more ways than I can say. It will stay with me forever. It has made me a better person and, I hope, a better nurse.”
 
Pam Blesch of Fort Smith, assistant professor of nursing, said the group went to four outlying clinics in San Ignacio, Cayo District.

“Without these four community medical clinics, none of these patients would have received health care,” said Blesch. “The community clinics made it possible for the clients to walk to the clinic to receive care and made it possible for the students to meet many health care needs. Transportation and finances are the primary limiting factors for health care in the Belize culture.”
 
Blesch said UAFS students were exposed to the various cultural differences in a variety of ways, including their stays in Belizean homes, where they lived, ate and slept.

“Trips like these are monumental in providing students with an immersion experience to open their eyes and heart to the cultural needs of others,” said Blesch. “This experience will benefit them greatly as they move forward in their nursing careers.”
 
In addition to their work at the clinics, students also toured San Ignacio Hospital and went with a nurse to make home visits to patients in four different villages.
 
Other faculty on the trip were assistant professors Dr. Debbie Koch and Dana Reeves, both of Greenwood. Participating in the Belize class were:
• Cedarville: Angela “Christy” Lunsford.
• Charleston: Alison Brown and Rachel Matthews.
• Fort Smith: LaTonya Deloney, Andrea Jansen, William “Jeff” Ludlow, Jacob Malone, Ashley Mayfield, Kayla Pense, Cynthia Plume, Kelly Shamblin and Megan Sullivan.
• Springdale: Angela Mounce.
• Waldron: Kathy Tull.

“We were able to distribute the various medications thanks to the generosity of Sparks Regional Medical Center, St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and MediSav Pharmacy,” said Blesch. “In addition to the donations from these health care facilities and clinics, many individuals supported this trip by contributing finances to purchase supplies and medication once the team arrived in Belize.”
 
UAFS worked with ProWorld, an organization that assists colleges and universities planning transcultural experiences in 10 countries around the world.
 
The Belize trip was one of several Maymester classes offered by UAFS, including a trip to Peru. Maymester classes provide intensive, compact educational experiences that result in college credit for participants. The classes are offered during the period in May between the end of the UAFS spring semester and the beginning of the first summer term.